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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Songwe Hill.jpg Placidochromis johnstoni 'Songwe Hill'.jpg Tramitichromis sp. 'red gular' Songwe Hill.jpg
Previous pageNext pagePlacidochromis johnstoni 'Songwe Hill'
Genus: Placidochromis
Type locality: Fort Johnston, Malawi
Biotope: Shallow bays, frequently associated with aquatic plants such as Vallisneria beds, but also occurring over sand in intermediate habitats.
Typical adult size: Up to 16 cm total length.
Breeding: Males have not been observed defending spawning sites and the species is not a colony breeder. Spawning is thought to occur at selected spots, possibly within Vallisneria beds, and males lack the pronounced egg-spots typical of sand-bower builders.
Diet: Feeds by blowing away the upper layer of muddy sediment at the bases of aquatic plants or rocks, exposing invertebrates that are quickly seized.
Special notes: A widespread and common species that often forages in mixed-species groups and may form bands of more than 50 individuals, usually with only a single male in breeding coloration. It has also been observed joining hunting groups of Nimbochromis polystigma targeting fry. Some individuals display a melanin pattern with vertical bars and faint horizontal elements, and its morphology and behavior have led to suggestions that it may be more closely allied to Protomelas than to the type species of Placidochromis.

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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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